EU to establish ‘permanent mission’ in Kurdistan Region: Envoy  

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The European Union is set to dispatch a permanent mission to Kurdistan Region, a senior diplomat said on Tuesday, without elaborating further details on the matter.

The remarks came from EU Ambassador to Iraq Ville Varjola during his meeting with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani in Erbil, where the two discussed the latest political developments in Iraq and Kurdistan Region.

As part of expanding its representation in the country, the EU has decided to establish a “permanent mission” in Kurdistan Region, the diplomat said, according to a statement from Barzani Headquarters.

The statement did not elaborate further details on the inauguration of the diplomatic mission. 

In return, the Kurdish leader expressed his delight over the decision, the statement added.

The EU currently manages its diplomatic ties with Iraq’s semi-autonomous region through a liaison office based in the capital Erbil.

The KDP is supportive of holding the Region’s parliamentary elections in the nearest term, Barzani said, asking the international community to play its role in monitoring the polls.

Barzani said one of the reasons that gave rise to the current political crisis that in Iraq is disregarding the constitution, adding any future government shall be based on the principles of “partnership, balance, and consensus” as well as protecting the Kurdish people’s rights.